Ex-battery hens...what should I feed them the first few weeks after I get them home??

[ExBattChicks]

Hello!!

I have perhaps put the cart before the horse a bit in becoming a member to this site, but I plan on getting some ex-battery hens as soon as I have the hen house completed (the run/coop is ready) and though I THINK I know what to feed regular hens, I'm not sure how/what I should feed the ex-battery hens when I first get them home. After all, those poor girls have been fed the same diet all their lives...a diet that promotes egg laying. Clearly, they will eventually adjust to a life of free-ranging and eating delicious, live creepy-crawlies and fresh greens, but even I know that I can't just bring them home and change their diet completely, so what I would like to know is WHAT I should feed them for the first couple of days/weeks/months after getting them and how should I transition that feed into the good and tasty stuff that all chickens should have (and deserve to have!)?

Thanks for any ideas you have! I just want to be prepared and (try to) have everything ready beforehand rather than frantically searching for things when the girls are already here.

 

[GitaBooks]

Its best to do research before you buy!

Feed the hens layer feed, as changing feeds too quickly can lead to all kinds of health problems. You can then change them over to healthier foods, whatever you plan on feeding them.

They will be afraid of going out into the grass, so let them get use to their coop a week or so, get them tamed and strengthened. Get vitamins into them and over time mix a fourth of the new food and 3 fourths layer for a few days, then half and half for a week or so, then 3 fourths the new food. Then make the full switch.

I hope this helps.



You are doing a great thing!

 

[pdirt]

Good advice. Overall, don't implement too many changes at once. Don't try to feed them too many treats, supplements or "healthy" things. If you could get a hold of some of the feed they've been raised on, that would be great, but if not, just feed regular layer feed. The stress of moving is huge for chickens. Plus while it is an improvement to no longer be battery hens, the sudden change will be an additional huge stress for them. So minimizing the number of additional stresses right off the bat will btw helpful for them to transition.

 

[ExBattChicks]

@GitaBooks and @pdirt, thank you both for your advice. Dummy that I am, I haven't a clue what 'layer feed' is, but I will look it up...my problem is finding out what/how it is called in Czech!! haha!! But surely I can ask someone here how it must be called or can find out what they feed battery birds and get the same...maybe that shouldn't be too hard for me to find out!

Yes, I imagine that the poor dears will be completely stressed from all the changes...I have seen some YouTube videos of ex-batt girls first moments on grass and in the open....how daunting that must be for them...maybe like a lifelong big-city apartment dweller being suddenly plonked in the middle of a forest..a GIGANTIC forest!!

We will see. I will do my best to make the girls happy. I promise!

 

[GitaBooks]

Chicken feeds come in a few types:
Starter (for new chicks) Starter/grower also exists
Grower (for chicks between a couple weeks and 16 weeks)
Finisher (to finish meat birds)
Layer (feed with proper nutrition that they don't need any calcium, protein or vitamin supplements)
Breeder (for breeding birds with best hatch results)

Hope this helps!

 

[ExBattChicks]

Thank you!! I think I finally 'got' it...'layer' as in for chickens that 'lay'....all this time I was thinking 'why? because it comes in layers'?? Whaaa?? Duh!!